R
A L P HThe
Review of Arts, Literature, Philosophy and the Humanities

Volume
XXX, Number 4

Late Mid-Summer 2002

EDITORS' PICKSBeing a list of twelve books that we have receivedover the last few monthsthat stand out as beingespecially interesting, funny or wise.

NEW LISTINGS
Peters World Atlas, The Secret History of the FBI, andThe Death of Sweet Mister

REVIEWSNovice to Master"Many of us who have heard of Zenand who want to achieve enlightenment (who doesn't?)have toyed with the notion of joining a monastery.Those who entertain such notions should read this book.The theory and practice of Zen is very muchlike joining the Marines or being sent off to prison."

Learning to Fall"To try to pin this stuffon the divine is nothing better thanfalse advertising. In truth, the divine has other fish to fry, hasn't the time to mete out painful lessonsto you or me or good people or bad people or terroristsor world corporate greedyheads or eco-destructivesor pious millionaires."

Great Reviews of the PastUntamed Seas"Heroism seems to be in short supplywith these five characters. The dialogue that goes back and forth while they are presumably fighting for their livesis worse by far than anythingyou've ever heard from the Bickersons."

BRIEF REVIEWSTulipmania,Sacred India, andCeramic Toilets of the 19th Century

READINGSTicks, Blackflies and God's Other Punishments"Black flies don't sting, they bite, leaving us pocked with scabsthat we tear off when scratching.The flies crawl up sleeves and noses, burrow into ears. If New Hampshire people are tight-lipped, perhaps it's that black flies have taught us the cost of opening our mouths."

"But pain has no facebecause it is not alien. It is from myself.Pain is my body signaling that something is wrong.It is the body talking to itself,not the rumblings of an external god.Dealing with pain is not warwith something outside the body;it is the body coming back to itself."

ARTICLESGreat Articles of the PastEating Spanish Omelette with Bondo"The historical Sweden or Sverigetakes its name from the Svear,a tribe of foresters, miners, trolls, and Social Democratswhose origins are shrouded in mystery,except that most of them have cousins in Minnesota."

POETRY
A Black Swimmer"a land of zombies where death jackals are devouringthe entrails of a half-starved woman to the drumbeatof carnival and the lecherous dancing of Baron Samedi"

GENERAL INDEXA complete list of all books reviewed in RALPH, arranged by title, including author, subject, and publisher,plus a listing of all readings, articles and poemsthat have appeared since 1994.

A PITHY SAMPLEof our most notorious reviewsas collected in the hard-copy"FOLIO"

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T
H E F A C T SSubmitting
BooksThe
best way to get books to RALPH for review.Submitting ReviewsSuggestions for would-be reviewers --- and payment schedule.HistoryRALPH
didn't spring full-blown from the brows of the gods: We've
been around (in different guises) for over twenty-five years. The
Fessenden FundDescribing the good works of RALPH's official godparent